Fallacies of Love

"So created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gen 1:26 NIV). First off, it would be erroneous for us to think that the word image here represents only the physical form alone and not the spiritual. The truth is that if God created us in His image then we have His attributes, nature and characteristics both physical and spiritual. There is nothing like love that cannot be expressed, as love is not a virtual decision but a tangible and demonstrable one. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV). One attribute of God is love as the expression of this love for us is what we enjoy today by being in Christ having accepted the sacrifice of His life on the cross as the atonement for our sins. It only follows that if we belong to Christ then love should also be one of our attributes, that is why the Scriptures enjoin us to let no debt remain outstanding except the debt to love one another (Romans 13:8). As God so loved and still loves the world, in the same manner we must be like God and live a life of love as we relate with our fellow man. If God is love what then is our responsibility as His children made in His image and likeness? 1 John 4:7-8 NIV says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love

comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love". The Scriptures say in clear
terms that God is love personified in other words, EVERYTHING He does is out of His great love for us after all it was not because we loved Him that He sent His Son to die for us, rather it was because He loved us (and still does anyway). If we choose not to love one another, we deny that God is our father and lay claim to being illegitimate children. Now to the main heart of the matter, in Romans 5:5, the Scriptures say "And hope

does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us". The literal meaning of this verse is that God poured
His love into every available space, nook and cranny, all depths and inner recesses of our hearts. If we are believers then and members of the kingdom of God then we have the love of God in our hearts by virtue of the Holy Spirit in us. As it is natural for dogs to bark, for fish to swim and for frogs to croak, so it is natural for us as believers to love. Can you imagine a dog asking God to help it bark or

perhaps a fish asking God's help to swim? God has given the dog and the fish the natural ability to bark and swim respectively but if the dog's throat is defective or the fish's fins are mutilated, then that is a different matter altogether! If we have issues with walking in love then we must judge our hearts and submit it to cleansing with the word (Hebrews 4:12)! Sometimes, we Christians pray some prayers out of ignorance of the Scriptures as far as this love issue is concerned. It would be scripturally incorrect for you as a Christian to ask God to fill your heart with love or help you to love as that is what He has done already by pouring His love into every available space in your heart. Asking God to pour His love into your heart would mean you are NOT a believer since believers have the Spirit of God living in them and God's love is already poured into their hearts as a result (1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16). We really need to get this faith walk right as some still live, ignorant of what God has ALREADY done as written in the Scriptures. God's Spirit living inside you causes you to show love to whomever you meet. If you belong to Him, you have the ability and the capacity to love as He loves, as it is your nature just as it is His. Proverbs 25:21-22 says, "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty,

give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head and the Lord will reward you". This is a very difficult thing to do but that is exactly what
God wants from us and He is always working in us both to will and to do according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13). This is the work of grace in our lives! Who said love does not hurt sometimes? Can you imagine how God must have felt when He had to send His one and only Son to die for the world? That was an act of love no doubt and it is the greatest sacrifice that anyone can make on behalf of another. As believers we must live and walk in love, now is the time to get into the Scriptures that all fallacies might be exposed for what they truly are.

Authors note: This message was first preached at the Parish Youth Chapel, Church of the Pentecost (Anglican Communion), 21 Road, Festac Town, Lagos on Sunday, 7th August 2011 at the 10am service in my capacity as Coordinator.